Fresh off a cross-country tour, John Strand's critically-acclaimed political drama The Originalist, based on the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, returns to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith.
Denver Center for the Performing Arts and producer Stacey Mindich just announced that the national tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN will launch in Denver in October of 2018, kicking off the 2018/19 DCPA Broadway season. Nominated for nine Tony Awards® including Best Musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN with a book by Tony® nominee Steven Levenson, score by Academy Award winners and Tony® nominees Benj Pasek & Justin Paul and directed by four-time Tony® nominee Michael Greif, will play The Buell Theatre. Information regarding on-sale dates and tickets will be announced at a later time. To sign up to receive alerts go to Denvercenter.org or visit DearEvanHansen.com.
BroadwayWorld has a full list of the Helen Hayes Awards winners updating LIVE below! Named for actor Helen Hayes - a Washington native and legendary First Lady of the American Theatre - the Helen Hayes Awards celebrates excellence in professional theatre throughout the Washington region and has become a hallmark recognized by theatre makers and theatre lovers far beyond Washington D.C.
National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, celebrates the opening of The Arsonists by Jacqueline Goldfinger, its 67th Rolling World Premiere.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater hoted An Evening with Bebe Neuwirth on Monday, May 1, 2017. The exclusive benefit features the presentation of the second annual Beth Newburger Schwartz Award to Arena Stage Emeritus Trustee Arlene R. Kogod. The evening, helmed by event chair Susan Haas Bralove and diplomatic chair His Excellency Bjorn Lyrvall, Ambassador of Sweden, includes a VIP cocktail reception, three-course seated dinner, one-night-only performance and post-show music, wine and dessert reception.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre elevates its profile in the national theatre community with the second annual OriginKC: NEW WORKS FESTIVAL. In addition to a striking lineup of playwrights and directors for this year's festival, an impressive list of arts leaders from preeminent regional theaters across the country will be attending the Festival Weekend, May 12-13.
THE ORIGINALIST, by John Strand (Charles MacArthur Award-winning Lovers and Executioners), directed by Molly Smith (Camp David and Artistic Director of Arena Stage), and starring four-time Helen Hayes Award-winner Edward Gero (Goodman Theatre's Red), tells the story about a liberal law student's nerve-wracking clerkship with Justice Antonin Scalia. THE ORIGINALIST, a co-production with Asolo Repertory Theatre, is now playing through May 7, 2017.
Four intellectuals-a doctor, an actress, a psychologist and a neurobiologist studying the human brain's response to race-search for love, acceptance and identity in Lydia R. Diamond's comedy-drama Smart People, which makes its D.C. debut at Arena Stage. Set against the backdrop of Obama's 2008 election, Diamond's fiercely funny play explores the unavoidable nature of cultural bias. Deputy Artistic Director Seema Sueko makes her Arena Stage directorial debut with this "sexy, serious and very, very funny modern-day comedy of manners" (Variety). Smart People runs April 14-May 21, 2017 in the Kreeger Theater.
The Drama League has announced the 2017 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. Scroll down for the full list of nominees!
Under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Stephen J. Albert, Executive Director,Court Theatre announces that it will present the Asolo Repertory Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse and Arena Stage production of The Originalistby John Strand, featuring Edward Gero as Antonin Scalia and directed by Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith, to conclude its 63rd season. As previously announced, the production will run May 10 - June 10, 2018 at Court Theatre, 5535 S Ellis Avenue, Chicago.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host the Voices of Now Festival, a four-day event featuring original works of theater written and performed by 10 different youth ensembles.
The 'play that changed American theater forever' (New York Times) comes to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater for the first time ever this spring. Due to popular demand, the production has been extended for one week with eight additional performances, running now through May 7, 2017 in the Fichandler Stage. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!
John Strand's THE ORIGINALIST had its world premiere in 2015 at The Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. with the titular role of Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia played by the critically acclaimed Edward Gero. Edward reprises his role at The Pasadena Playhouse's starting April 11. I made the most out of the opportunity to put Edward on the stand to cross-examine him on what it means to portray one of the most polarizing judges in U.S. history.
The Playwrights' Center today announced that Robert Chelimsky will join the organization as managing director, effective May 1, 2017. Chelimsky most recently served as managing director of Epic Theatre Ensemble in New York.
Artistic director of Arena Stage in Washington DC Molly Smith directs John Strand's The Originalist about the Supreme Court onstage at the Pasadena Playhouse beginning April 11. The play focuses on a clerkship between a young woman and recently deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia portrayed by Edward Gero. It fits the times to perfection as the two characters spar on a grand scale to defend their interpretation of the truth as written in our constitution. In our chat, Smith talks about the play, its mission, this co-production and also about her work at Arena Stage.
Peak Performances is pleased to welcome back Doug Elkins, whom The New York Times calls "one of the most witty, musical and inventive choreographers of his generation," and his company, doug elkins choreography, etc., in an evening-length program of new and acclaimed works, April 20-23 at the Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will present the American Voice Award to Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) on Thursday, April 6, 2017 as part of the opening night celebration for Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking drama A Raisin in the Sun.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, in partnership with Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen and At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, opens its doors for the ninth D.C. Career Fair Wednesday, April 5, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mead Center (1101 Sixth St., SW). Throughout the past four years, Arena Stage has partnered with nearly 100 participating organizations and served a combined total of more than 7,400 community members by hosting regular career fairs.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host An Evening with Bebe Neuwirth on Monday, May 1, 2017.
All in all, I certainly commend Arena Stage, including Artistic Director Molly Smith, for taking a chance on this new work. Unfortunately, there's a ways to go to ready it for an audience, particularly here in DC where there is bound to be at least a handful of people with a pretty good understanding of the subject matter.
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